[Federal Register: February 19, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 33)]
[Notices]               
[Page 8527]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19fe98-139]


[[Page 8527]]

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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

 
Privacy Act of 1974; Report of Matching Program

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Department of Veterans Affairs 
(VA) intends to conduct a recurring computer matching program matching 
Department of Justice, Bureau of Prison (BOP), inmate records with VA 
pension, compensation, and dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) 
records. The goal of this match is to identify incarcerated veterans 
and beneficiaries who are receiving VA benefits, and to reduce or 
terminate benefits, if appropriate. The match will include records of 
current VA beneficiaries.

DATES: The match is estimated to start April 1, 1998, but will start no 
sooner than 30 days after publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register, or 40 days after copies of this Notice and the agreement of 
the parties is submitted to Congress and the Office of Management and 
Budget, whichever is later, and end not more than 18 months after the 
agreement is properly implemented by the parties. The involved 
agencies' Data Integrity Boards (DIB) may extend this match for 12 
months provided the agencies certify to their BIDs, within three months 
of the ending date of the original match, that the matching program 
will be conducted without change and that the matching program has been 
conducted in compliance with the original matching program.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments, 
suggestions, or objections regarding the proposal to conduct the 
matching program to the Director, Office of Regulations Management 
02D), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Room 
1154, Washington, DC 20420. All written comments received will be 
available for public inspection in the Office of Regulations 
Management, Room 1158, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420, 
between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Fridays except holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Paul Trowbridge (213B), (202) 273-7218.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: VA will use this information to verify 
incarceration and adjust VA benefit payments as prescribed by law. The 
proposed matching program will enable VA to accurately identify 
beneficiaries who are incarcerated for a felony or a misdemeanor in a 
Federal penal facility.
    The legal authority to conduct this match is 38 U.S.C. 1505, 5105, 
and 5313. Section 5106 requires any Federal department or agency to 
provide VA such information as VA requests for the purposes of 
determining eligibility for, or the amount of VA benefits, or verifying 
other information with respect thereto. Section 1505 provides that no 
VA pension benefits shall be paid to or for any person eligible for 
such benefits, during the period of that person's incarceration as the 
result of conviction of a felony or misdemeanor, beginning on the 
sixty-first day of incarceration. Section 5313 provides that VA 
compensation or dependency and indemnity compensation above a specified 
amount shall not be paid to any person eligible for such benefits, 
during the period of that persons' incarceration as the result of 
conviction of a felony, beginning on the sixty-first day of 
incarceration.
    The VA records involved in the match are the VA system of records, 
Compensation, Pension, Education and Rehabilitation Records--VA (58 VA 
21/22) first published at 41 FR 9294 (March 3, 1976) and last amended 
at 60 FR 20156 (April 24, 1995). The BOP records consist of information 
from the system of records identified as Inmate Records System, BOP 
#005 published on June 7, 1984 (48 FR 23711). In accordance with Title 
5 U.S.C. subsection 552a(o)(2) and (r), copies of the agreement are 
being sent to both Houses of Congress and to the Office of Management 
and Budget. This notice is provided in accordance with the provisions 
of Privacy Act of 1974 as amended by Public Law 100-503.

    Approved: February 9, 1998.
Togo D. West, Jr.,
Acting Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 98-4226 Filed 2-18-98; 8:45 am]
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